Vampire Academy DPOV
by BookLuver2389
Summary: Vampire Academy for Dimitri's POV. Title says it all and I know it's been done a lot. Try it! Disclaimer: I don't own any of these characters.
1. Chapter 1

**Plz R&R!!! This is my first Fanfic. I appreciate comments and/or critism. I'm only 12 peoples, so plz be nice!!! Thank You!!! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of these awesome characters!!! All rights go to Richelle Mead!**

**DPOV**

A high-pitched scream pierced through the darkness. I jerked back, my gaze fixing on the second floor window only thirty feet away from where we were lurking in the shadows. My breathing hitched up a notch when I heard voices whispering, carrying over to where we stood.

Jake shifted next to me. "Can we go yet? I mean, it may be the two–"

I cut him off with a sharp glance. He fell silent while I crept forward. I stopped when I saw a small figure jump onto the windowsill. It was a black cat. Relieved, I realized I'd been holding my breath. Trying to relax, I slithered through the shadows so I was closer. I could make out words now.

"–more than two days, hasn't it? Three? Why didn't you say anything?" I couldn't tell if it was Rosemarie or Princess Vasilisa. I craned my neck to look through the window.

It was dim, but I could make out the princess's pale skin glowing slightly. She spoke guiltily to Rose.

"You were busy. I didn't want to–"

Rose cut in. "Screw that." I scowled at her lack of courtesy. Her profile said that she was rude and a trouble maker, but she could show some sort of civility to her best friend _and _the princess.

I watched her shift in her seat on the bed. "Come on. Let's just do this." I heard the exasperation and persuasion in her voice. I still had no idea what was going on.

Vasilisa hesitated. "Rose–," she began.

Rose interrupted _again_. "Come _on_. It'll make you feel better." She tilted her head to the side and tossed her long, dark hair back, away from her neck. I inhaled sharply as I realized what they were going to do. The girl was actually let the princess _feed _from her.

Thoughts flitted through my head as I watched Vasilisa sink her teeth into her best friend's neck. Rose cried out at the brief pain.

At first, I was shocked and a little disgusted. But as I watched the princess drink from Rose, I respected her. I could clearly see she would do anything for Vasilisa. She would sacrifice anything for her.

After a minute, the princess leaned back and wiped her mouth. "You okay?" she asked, studying Rose with concern.

I… yeah." Rose disappeared from my view. "I just need to sleep it off. I'm fine."

The princess watched Rose and said something I couldn't catch. She stood up and left the room. Suddenly, the cat on the sill whipped his head around and stared at me. His fur stood up and he crouched down, keeping his glowing eyes on me.

Rose appeared in the window. She was extremely pretty. I had seen a picture of her, but she seemed even more beautiful in real life. I ignored her looks for now. It was not the time to check out teenage girls. She leaned out and scanned the area.

I attempted to shrink into the shadows, but to no avail. She jerked back when she caught sight of me. I stood there a moment before stepping back and allowing the shadows to cover me.

Jake slunk towards me. We both watched as Rose scurried around the room and left. After a minute or so, I caught sight of them slipping out the door. I turned around and sent most of the guardians after them while I ran through the shadows, trying to pass them.

Rose was still dizzy from the bite, but she was obviously attempting to run as fast as she could. Still, Vasilisa had to support her, slowing them both down. I ordered my legs to run faster and ended up by a green Honda the two girls were running towards.

The other guardians were close behind them. They ran faster, but stopped when I stepped in front of their path. I could now get a clear look at their faces. I glanced at Vasilisa first.

The princess was pretty, with clear, green eyes framed by pale blond hair. Like most Moroi, she was tall and willowy, a perfect human model. It was easy to see she was scared, but I could also see that she trusted her guardian to take care of her.

I turned my gaze to Rose. I struggled to keep my face blank as I took in her features. She was the total opposite of Vasilisa. Her dark hair was perfectly done. It looked black, but it was actually brown, according to her picture. She had dark eyes, both which were staring at me in hatred. I held back an urge to flinch. They seemed to look right through my soul. She was beautiful.

I knew she was checking me out too, but weirdly, it didn't bother me. It would have been interesting to see what she thought of me, but her face showed nothing except surprise and apprenhension.

A small pang of some emotion hit me in my heart. I told myself that it was triumph at my success, but that didn't feel right. I ignored my racing heart beat and approached them.

Rose swung Lissa behind her as we closed in. Her teeth were bared protectively and she looked very, _very _dangerous, but I've killed Strigoi before. An angry teenager is nothing. At least I hoped.

"Leave her alone." Her voice came out in a snarl.

I kept my face impassive as I stepped closer. My hands were held up in a calm-down-crazy-dhampir gesture. Trying to get through to her, I said, while stepping forward, "I'm not going to–" I never got to finish my sentence.

She jumped at me, apparently trying to attempt some kind of maneuver she learned years ago. I resisted my urge to laugh as I defended myself. I thrust my hands towards her, hitting her in the chest just a little too hard. She stumbled backwards and began to fall towards the pavement.

Instinctually, my hand shot out and caught her before she broke something. I was afraid to look into her eyes, to see that she could see right through my façade I had worked so hard to build and maintain. So, instead, I stared at her bite wound.

It was bleeding still. I couldn't stop staring at it. It was so beautiful and deadly at the same time.

A hand reached up and brushed at the blood. Dark hair covered the bite a moment later. I stared for a moment more before meeting Rose's defiant eyes. She pulled away and I reluctantly let her go. She backed toward Vasilisa, tensing for another attack.

Vasilisa caught Rose's hand and said in a quiet voice, "Rose. Don't."

Rose ignored her at first. Then something strange happened. I caught the princess staring Rose, as if that would help her relax. Her gaze flickered a moment to mine before returning to her friend. _They have a bond. _

Those words echoed through my head as Rose slumped her shoulders in defeat. I didn't feel any triumph at breaking her, only regret. I stepped forward and bowed. "My name is Dimitri Belikov," I informed them. I turned my gaze to Princess Vasilisa. "I've come to take you back to St. Vladimir's Academy Princess."

I turned away from Vasilisa's frightened gaze. I didn't want to look at Rose. I was too afraid that she'd see right through me again.

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	2. Chapter 2

**Sorry about taking so long!!! School just got into full swing & I have Cross Country practice EVERY SINGLE DAY!!!! TORTURE!!! Anyways, hope you like it. Plz R&R! I luv comments & advice, so don't worry about making me feel bad. :) Thanks!!!**

**Disclaimer: I am not the lucky person to own this. Richelle Mead owns all characters!**

**DPOV**

We boarded the plane and sat down. Rose and Vasilisa whispered to each other, Rose occasionally shooting glaring looks my way. If looks could kill, I'd probably cold in my grave by now.

It was a private jet, but I still kept an eye on them. They huddled together in their seats, no doubt coming up with an escape plan. I held back a sigh. Did they really think I was that stupid? I signaled for Guardian Cordon to take Rose to the back of the plane.

"Don't let them talk to each other," I called cheerfully as Rose was escorted to the back. She sent me a fuming look before stamping down the aisle angrily.

Once out of earshot, I let out a low chuckle. I couldn't help it. She was so amusing when she was angry. Princess Vasilisa looked at me sharply. I shrugged and asked, "Do you need anything, Princess?"

She hesitated before replying. I leaned towards her to catch her quiet voice. "May I have a bottle of water, please?" I nodded and grabbed a water bottle from the mini-fridge attached to the shelf next to me. She accepted it with a polite nod.

There was a slight click as she opened her water. I didn't enjoy small talk, so I asked her one thing I had been curious about. I turned to her.

"Princess," I began, wondering if this was a good idea, "Do you and Rosemarie have a…bond?"

Vasilisa visibly turned pale and fiddled with the ring on her finger. She didn't answer me. "Princess?" I prodded her. I needed to know if they truly had some kind of bond or if it was all my imagination. Judging from Vasilisa's reaction, the two girls had _something_.

The ring she had been playing with clattered to the floor. I immediately bent to pick it up. It was a simple gold band inscribed with Russian words on the inside. It wasn't surprising that it was in Russian. Most of Moroi and dhampir blood lines went all the way back to Russia.

I read the words on the ring as I picked it up. Лучшие друзья, it read. Best friend. I handed it to her and smiled. She took it gingerly. I caught her faint murmur of thanks.

After a moment, she said, "It says best friend. From Rose."

I turned to reply. "Yes," I said simply. I watched her pale fingers toy with the ring fondly. We both fell silent. I lost myself in my own thoughts, wondering about my strange attraction to Rose and her unusual link with the princess.

When the end of the flight neared, I stood up to talk to Rose. I felt like I needed to figure her out, get to know her. And maybe to yell at her. I turned to leave.

"Guardian Belikov." A soft voice came from behind me. Vasilisa met my gaze pleadingly. "She did it for me. Don't blame her." Even though her name wasn't mentioned, I knew she was talking about Rose. I nodded and excused myself.

Rose glanced at me before purposefully turning her gaze out the window. I thanked Guardian Cordon for keeping an eye on Rose and switched places with him.

I looked at her, but she didn't meet my eyes. A few seconds of silence passed between us. I swallowed nervously before saying, "Doing that… protecting her like that–it was very brave." I hesitated. "_Stupid_, but still brave. Why did you even try it?" I felt bad about probing her, but I was interested to see what she would say.

She glanced at me, brushing her beautiful, dark hair out of her face. I swallowed. For a second, I was distracted by her action. It was a sexy and diverting motion.

I tried to concentrate on her words. Her dark eyes met mine evenly. "Because I'm her guardian," she said, as if I was stupid not to know that. She turned back to the window. It was clear I wasn't going to get anything out of her for a while.

Strangely, I was hurt she didn't trust me, or even talk to me. Not wanting to show that her lack of words stung, I left her sitting there, gazing out the window with something like despair in her eyes. I've never felt such regret at my actions.

***************

We left the plane soon after it landed; giving Rose and Vasilisa no time even to think of escape. Rose was surprisingly compliant, despite the angry set if her mouth and the defiant gleam in her eye. I sat in the passenger seat of the car, sneaking in glances at the two girls in the seat behind me. They each had a window seat with an uncomfortable Jake squished in between. He glared at me each time I met his gaze. As if it was my fault because of the seating arrangements. I shrugged innocently and hid a smile.

My eyes kept straying to Rose. She was clearly upset, her eyes fixed on the passing Montana scenery. I reluctantly pulled my gaze from her, perfectly aware that I had been studying Rose with undeniable interest.

As my thoughts wandered, I realized I was staring at Rose, yet again. Against my will, my eyes scanned her face, her body. A sudden thought hit me with a force strong enough to take away my breath.

I was crushing on a teenager _seven years younger than me. _

Disgust filled me. I was sick at myself for even thinking about Rose in that way. I shoved all thoughts of her out of my head with an effort. As we reached the Academy's gates, I took a deep breath and did one of my control exercises I was obsessed with.

The Academy was the same as the last time I had saw it. Everything was dark and forbidding, shadows concealing it from the rapidly dwindling sunlight. It was sunset, time for the Moroi and dhampirs to get ready for school.

Our car passed through the security inspection and was allowed to enter through the iron gates. We stopped the car outside the secondary campus. I got out, stretching out my long legs. They were cramped from the long ride, especially considering my height.

The air was cool and breezy, filled with the sweet scent of pine and oak sap. It smelled like the refreshing scent of the earth after rain. I took a deep breath of fresh air. We walked across the browning lawn.

I heard running after me as we entered the school. I had a pretty good guess who it was that was coming after me. It was probably Jake, complaining about the car seating arrangements. A scowl lit up my face. I attempted to hide it before he saw.

"Hey, Comrade," a dry, sardonic voice said from behind me. It was Rose.

I groaned inwardly. I couldn't believe she had the nerve to speak to me after her annoyed dismissal of me on the plane, not to mention dodging her guardian to talk to me. Her nerve impressed me, but not in a good way. I was secretly pleased at her attempt to talk to me, but my pride still stung at her shortness to me a few hours ago.

With an effort, I was able to ignore her. I kept walking. "You want to talk now?" I asked her, a little bitterly. I avoided meeting her eyes. She ignored my question and instead asked one of her own.

"Are you taking us to Kirova?"

"_Headmistress _Kirova," I corrected, instinctively. I braced myself for her sarcastic remark. Surprisingly, she managed to hold her tongue.

"Headmistress," she said, dismissively. "Whatever. She's still a self-righteous old bit–" Her words stopped as we entered the commons. I had unintentionally led them right to their former classmates.

It was breakfast time, students hooking up and laughing over whatever they found amusing. As we entered, all noise ceased. All eyes swung around to stare at Rose and Vasilisa. I looked over my shoulder. Vasilisa walked with her chin up, obviously attempting to look calm and composed. I turned my eyes to Rose.

She had a relaxed, lazy grin on her face, as if she found all of their reactions amusing. She clearly had everyone fooled. I saw her eyes scan the crowd.

Somehow, I could tell that she was tense and uncomfortable, even though her body language didn't show it. It was strange, almost like a second sense. I turned my head back around, still wondering about the weird sense I had just felt.

We walked into Kirova's office, leaving behind the still-shocked students. I heard Vasilisa let out a pent-up breath. Once inside, most of the other guardians left. I stayed, as well as Alberta, and we took our natural places against the wall. We both looked at Rose and Vasilisa without actually seeing them, our expressions hard and most likely frightening.

I ignored everything that was happening, scanning the room for any sign of danger. Suddenly, a voice yelled, "I _did _do my duty!" I winced at her loud voice. She was so loud and had no respect. I kept me face impassive as I, yet again, inwardly scowled at her rudeness.

Her voice kept me occupied. "I did keep her safe!" she spat out, still using her loud tone. "I kept her safe when none of you," she gestured dismissively at us, "could do it. I took her away to protect her. I did what I had to do. You certainly weren't going to."

Kirova's face was empty as she spoke to Rose in a cold voice. I watched, a silent observer, watching how Rose paled and bit her lip at Kirova's interrogation, watching how Kirova decided to expel her. But before she could though, I cut in through the tangible tension.

"They have a bond." I was using what I inferred from the plane. It was a huge guess, but I was rewarded with both girls' faces paling very slightly. "Rose knows what Vasilisa is feeling. Don't you?" I stared at her while I said this.

I turned when I heard Kirova's voice falter. "No…that's impossible. That hasn't happened in centuries." A grim smile touched the corners of my mouth.

"It's obvious," I lied. "I suspected it as soon as I started watching them." Okay, maybe it was a _slight _exaggeration, but no one could prove that I was lying.

The room fell silent, neither Rose nor Vasilisa was attempting to answer me. Rose shifted her gaze from mine and wouldn't look at me. "That is a gift. A rare and wonderful thing." I swung my eyes around to focus on Prince Victor Dashkov, sitting in the corner of the room.

My sharp gaze caught a disturbing gleam in his eyes before it could fade away. I would have pondered over that, but I had other things to worry about. Like why I was defending Rose.

I told myself it was because the princess needed her and, if sent away, a good guardian bond would be wasted, not to mention we would lose a _female _guardian. But inside, I really knew it was because I wanted her to stay, to be able to see and talk to her every day. I knew it was wrong, but I couldn't help it.

The room was silent. Before I could lose my slight advantage over Kirova, I added quickly, "The guardians always had that bond. In the stories." I regretted saying the last part as I saw Kirova's anger rise up again.

"Stories that are centuries old," she shouted. "Surely you aren't suggesting we let her stay at the Academy after all she's done?" Kirova stared at me like I was crazy.

I shrugged. "She might be wild and disrespectful, but if she has potential–"

Rose barged in. "Wild and disrespectful?" she quipped angrily. "Who the hell are you? Outsourced help?" Before I could answer her, Kirova turned her gaze on her coldly.

"Guardian Belikov is the princess's guardian now. Her _sanctioned _guardian."

After a moment of shock, Rose replied coolly, "You got cheap foreign labor to protect Lissa?"

I made an effort not to wince. I mean, how rude can you get? It was me who was trying to let her stay at the Academy, not the one wanting to kick her out. If anything, Kirova should be the one getting Rose's snarky comebacks.

I turned my head to see Kirova throw her hands in the air. "You see?" she asked impatiently. "Completely undisciplined! All the psychic bonds and _very _raw potential in the world can't make up for that. A guardian without discipline is worse than no guardian."

"So teach her discipline. Classes just started. Put her back in and get her training," I stated. I was determined to keep Rose here.

Kirova spoke. "Impossible. She'll still be hopelessly behind her peers."

Rose interrupted. "No, I won't." I ignored her. Man, couldn't she just keep her mouth shut for once? She wasn't helping at all.

I continued my argument. "Then give her extra training sessions."

We fought, back and forth. Neither one of us was willing to give even an inch. The two girls watched us, hope in their eyes.

"Who's going to put in the extra time? You?" Kirova was smug.

I hesitated. "Well, that's not what I–"

Kirova smiled and crossed her arms over her chest. "Yes. That's what I thought." I frowned thoughtfully. My eyes glimpsed Vasilisa and Rose. They were desperate, but I couldn't help but think how difficult it would be to train a rebellious, stubborn girl like Rose. Then again, it couldn't be that bad, could it? I would get to know Rose and get to train my guardian partner. It was a win-win deal.

"Yes," I answered after awhile, "I can mentor Rose. I'll give her extra sessions along with her normal ones." I knew that I would regret my decision later, but I unwisely chose to go along anyways.

"And then what? She goes unpunished?" Kirova was furious.

"Find some other way to punish her," I said coolly. "Guardian numbers have gone down too much to risk losing another. A girl, in particular." I was talking about how many dhampirs girls refused to become guardians and, instead, lived in communities. I saw Rose shiver at my unsaid meaning.

Prince Dashkov spoke in a raspy voice. "I'm inclined to agree with Guardian Belikov. Sending Rose away would be a shame, a waste of talent."

Everyone held their breath as we watched Kirova stare out the window at the darkness surrounding the building.

"Please, Ms. Kirova. Let Rose stay." It was Vasilisa, but there was something wrong with her voice. It was smooth and compelling. _Compelling…_

My jaw threatened to fall open as I realized what had just happened. Princess Vasilisa had just broken a law. She had used compulsion on another Moroi. I couldn't tell if Kirova, Prince Dashkov, or any of the guardians had realized this, but I could tell that Rose had immediately recognized it.

I heard Kirova sigh. "If Miss Hathaway stays, here's how it will be." She looked at Rose sternly. "Your continued enrollment at St. Vladimir's is strictly probationary. Step out of line _once_, and you're gone. You will attend all classes and required trainings for novices you age. You will also train with Guardian Belikov in every spare moment you have–before _and_ after classes. Other than that, you are banned from all social activities, except meals, and will stay in your dorm. Fail to comply with any of this, and you will be sent…away."

Rose barked out a frosty laugh. "Banned from all social activities?" she asked. "Are you trying to keep us apart?" She jerked her head at Vasilisa. "Afraid we'll run away again?"

"I'm taking precautions," Kirova claimed, trying to keep her pride. "As I'm sure you recall, you were never properly punished for destroying school property. You have a lot to make up for." Her lips thinned into a disapproving line. "You are being offered a very generous deal. I suggest you don't let your attitude endanger it."

I shot Rose a warning look as she opened her mouth to speak. She looked away and closed her mouth. Her eyes burned holes through the floor.

"Fine," she said shortly. "I accept." I smiled inwardly.

**Hey, so how'd ya like it? Plz R&R!!!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hi!!! I'm sooooo happy because I ran my first Cross Country race today. (Even though I came in 56th place.) :) Anyways, here's a chapter because I felt so great afterwards. You probably don't care about this, so go ahead and read. R&R plz!!!**

**Disclaimer: I AM NOT RICHELLE MEAD. (Sadly) :(. I don't own anything! **

**DPOV**

Kirova sent the two girls straight to class right after her little talk. I waited with Alberta outside the door as they obtained their schedules for this semester. I spent that time thinking about my rash actions. It was foolish and completely unlike me to rush into that situation back in Kirova's office, but I strangely didn't regret them. As impolite as Rose was, I truly did believe that she had a potential to be a good guardian. From what I read from her profile, she was top in her class. But that was before she left. Still, she may have that potential still.

I tried to ignore the part of my brain that told me that I was lying to myself, that I wanted her to stay for my own selfish reasons. As I struggled with my inner conscience, the door opened.

Rose came out, looking a little disgruntled as she stared at her schedule, looking like she wanted to rip it up. I was tempted to ask her what was wrong, but seeing Alberta acting cold and distant, I pushed the urge away.

We escorted Rose to her first period class, making sure she didn't do anything stupid. When I glanced at her, I saw Rose eyeing Alberta's short hair with remote interest. I silently prayed that she wouldn't even think about cutting her beautiful, thick hair short.

As we entered the gym, all the talking and movement stopped, like it had in the cafeteria. Half of the faces showed shock and the other held admiration. I watched Rose glance around with that uninterested, oh-so-familiar look on her face.

The corners of her mouth lifted as her eyes landed on a male redhead. His jaw was hanging open in shock. I struggled to remember his name. A-something. _Ashford_.

My heart constricted as I watched Rose eyeing him. "Hey Mason, wipe the drool off. If you're going to think about me naked, do it on your own time." Fine, I admit it. I was slightly jealous. Ashford was in love with Rose. I could tell by the admiration and awe in his eyes and the way he smiled crookedly at her. And at that moment, I wanted to hurt him. Badly. Especially when I saw Rose's eyes sparkle with fondness and affection.

I took a deep breath and composed myself. I made sure my face was completely blank while I listened in on the dhampir's conversation.

"This_ is _my time, Hathaway." I hated the way his voice was full of soft teasing. "I'm leading today's session." His grin widened slightly.

Rose faked annoyance. "Oh yeah? Huh. Well, I guess this is a good time to think about me naked, then."

"It's _always _a good time to think of you naked," another dhampir chimed in. This dhampir looked at Rose with affection, but I could see that he didn't love her, at least in the way Ashford did.

I was relieved, but I made sure I didn't show it. Still slightly annoyed, I muttered under my breath about how much I wanted to kill Ashford. Rose looked at me, probably wondering about my mental health. I walked away, not wanting to see Ashford flirting with Rose.

Alberta and I took our places along the wall. I couldn't hear anything unless I listened very closely. I watched with barely concealed jealousy as I watched Ashford pulling Rose by the arm, obviously claiming her as his partner.

After about an hour of watching Rose get beat up, Ashford stopped the class. They began to put away the equipment. They headed towards me, but neither one of them noticed the two guardians lurking in the corners. I still couldn't hear what they were saying, but I could tell that Ashford was flirting with her.

They passed by me, still talking. I caught some of their conversation.

"–making me take extra practice sessions. I'll be ready." It was Rose and she did not seem happy.

"Extra sessions with who?" Ashford asked. I smiled inwardly anticipating her response.

"The tall guy. Dimitri."

Ashford stopped abruptly and focused his eyes at Rose in disbelief. Rose was in for a big surprise. They were about ten feet away from me now, but I could still hear them, easily. I waited for his response. "You're putting in extra time with Belikov?" I enjoyed his amazement and awed deference to me.

Rose shrugged indifferently. "Yeah, so what?"

"So the man is a _god_." I was probably liking his reaction more than I should of, but right now, I didn't care. Alberta was shooting me amused looks. I shrugged and tried not to laugh out loud.

"Exaggerate much?" Rose asked as she rolled her eyes.

Ashford looked vaguely hurt. There, that would show him. I allowed a faint smile to touch my lips. "No, I'm serious. I mean, he's quiet and antisocial usually, but when he fights…wow. If you're hurting now, you're gonna be dead when he's done with you."

She elbowed him and managed to hide most of her dismay and anxiety. I was angry at Ashford, for making me sound like ax murderer, even though he was most likely right. If Rose wanted to catch up to her peers, she would have to work every spare moment.

They were still talking as I left to go on my duties to Stan Alto's room. He taught Bodyguard Theory and Personal Protection 3. I personally didn't enjoy his mean sense of humor, but he was a good guardian, in the physical sense at least.

I stood along the back wall as the students filed in. Stan's eyes widened in shock and his trademark sneer deepened as he caught sight of Rose.

"What's this? No one told me we had a guest speaker here today. Rose Hathaway. What a privilege! How very generous of you to take time out of your busy schedule and share you knowledge with us."

Rose turned a deep shade of red. She began to say a smart remark, but then stopped herself with a show of control. Her face was twisted into a grimace that showed how much she hated the man in front of her. Stan's sneer deepened and he motioned for her to stand.

"Well, come on, come on. Don't sit there! Come up to the front so you can help me lecture the class." Stan was purposely mocking her, making up for what he had missed over the past two years.

Rose shrank into her seat. "You don't really mean–"

Stan's smirk disappeared and he looked angry. "I mean _exactly _what I say, Hathaway. Go to the front of the class."

An uncomfortable silence filled the room as Rose lazily strolled to the front of the room. She tossed her hair over her shoulders and lifted her chin, showing her languid face. I felt a small pang of pride at her attempt at indifference. She wouldn't crack.

My eyes followed Stan as he walked back to Rose. "So, Hathaway. Enlighten us about your protective techniques."

Rose faltered. "My…techniques?" I could tell that she hated being weak, hated being at the mercy of a person like Stan. My heart ached at her lost expression.

"Of course," Stan retorted, faking surprise. "Because presumably you must have had some sort of plan the rest of us couldn't understand when you took an underage Moroi royal out of the Academy and exposed her to constant threats."

Rose stiffened. "We never ran into any Strigoi."

"Obviously," Stan scoffed, "I already figured that out, seeing as how you're still alive." Rose's face grew pink again and she looked like she wanted to beat the crap out of Stan. I really don't think I would have minded. This guy was getting on my nerves as well.

He continued bantering and making jokes at Rose's expense. She contained her composure until Stan yelled at her, causing her to hesitate.

"We are at war with the Strigoi!" He shoved himself in her face, intent on beating this phrase into her head. "One of them could walk right up to you and snap your pretty little neck before you even noticed him–and he'd barely break a sweat doing it. You might have more speed and strength than a Moroi or a human, but you are nothing, _nothing, _compared to a Strigoi. They are deadly, and they are powerful. And do you know what makes them more powerful?"

I wanted to hurt him as badly as I had wanted to hurt Ashford, but I was frozen, glued to the floor and forced to watch the humiliation Rose was going through.

She turned her head to look at the guardians in the back. I kept my face blank, devoid of any emotion. Our eyes met briefly, mine dark and serene; hers were sparkling with unshed tears of anger and embarrassment.

"Moroi blood," she whispered, tearing her gaze from mine.

Stan still insisted on being a jerk. "What was that? I didn't catch that."

Rose spun around to stare at him straight in the eye. "Moroi blood! Moroi blood makes them stronger." She glared at him with barely concealed hate.

He nodded, satisfied at her answer and her reaction. Taking a few steps back, he began speak. "Yes. It does. It makes them stronger and harder to destroy. They'll kill and drink from a human or dhampir, but they want Moroi blood more than anything else. They seek it. They've turned to the dark side to gain immortality, and they want to do whatever they can to keep that immortality. Desperate Strigoi have attacked Moroi in public. Groups of Strigoi have raided academies just like this one. There are Strigoi who have lived for thousands of years and fed off generations of Moroi. They're almost impossible to kill. And _that _is why Moroi numbers are dropping. They aren't strong enough–even with guardians– to protect themselves. Some Moroi don't even see the point of running anymore and are simply turning Strigoi by choice. And as the Moroi disappear…" He paused meaningfully.

"…so do the dhampirs," Rose finished.

"Well." He licked his lips. "It looks like you learned something after all. Now we'll have to see if you can learn enough to pass this class and qualify for you field experience next semester."

I silently promised myself that I would get Rose ready for the field experience, if it was the last thing I'd do.

The class ended soon after and I watched her leave, her slumped shoulders and slow gait the only hint of what had happened. My chest tightened and I followed her with worried eyes.

*****************

I finished my rounds and headed towards the commons, meaning to find Alberta. She had lunch duty, which was mostly a relaxed job. The main part of it was to stop both food and fist fights.

A girl appeared out of the door of a building, staggering under heavy text books and plenty of homework. I quickened my pace, meaning to help the girl out. I was about to call out to her, but she turned her head slightly and I saw it was Rose. I fell into step next to her.

She wouldn't look at me. "I suppose you saw what happened in Stan's class." I didn't bother to correct her use of titles.

It was a hypothetical question, but I answered it anyways. "Yes."

"And don't you think he was unfair?" Of course I thought he was unfair! He was a total jerk and needed to learn as much self-control as Rose needed to. Then again, I was a little bit biased, considering I was now Rose's mentor. _And wished I could be more. _

Again, the small, nagging voice resonated in my head, telling me how unfair the world could be. I once again pushed it away and focused on my conversation with Rose. And as much as I wanted to tell her how unfair I thought Stan was, I didn't want to reveal anything more than a cold, distant mentor.

I responded, instead, with some questions of my own. "Was he right?" I asked, my heart sinking at her fallen expression. "Do you think you were fully prepared to protect Vasilisa?"

She stared at the ground in misery. "I kept her alive," she murmured softly. I really didn't want to ask the next question, but I did anyways.

"How did you do fighting against your classmates today?" The question was purposely cruel and by her pained look, I could tell I struck a nerve. She didn't answer. I pressed on.

"If you can't fight _them_–"

She interrupted. I was used to it, but it still bothered me a bit. I actually liked her impulsiveness, but I knew that Kirova and the other guardians wouldn't.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," she shot back, sulkily. She slowed down, obviously put down by my slightly mean words. I matched her stride with easy effort.

I tried to comfort her. "You're strong and fast by nature. You just need to keep yourself trained. Didn't you play any sports while you were gone?"

She shrugged despondently. "Sure. Now and then."

"You didn't join any teams?"

She screwed her face up into a grimace. "Too much work. If I'd wanted to practice that much, I'd have stayed her." I tried to keep my face still as I inwardly scowled at her laziness. If she wanted to be a good guardian for Vasilisa, she would have to do better. I planned to make her run laps in future sessions.

My face must have showed some disappointment or exasperation because she faltered for a second. I sighed. "You'll never be able to really protect the princess if you don't hone your skills. You'll always be lacking." Right now, I didn't care if I hurt her feelings. This cocky, sarcastic girl needed a hard, solid mentor, not a soft, caring one. Especially not one that had a so called "crush" on her.

"I'll be able to protect her," she responded with great passion. And no doubt she could have, that is, with the right training.

I remained cold and firm. "You have no guarantees of being assigned to her, you know–for your field experience _or _after you graduate." I had no regret saying these words because it was the truth. "No one wants to waste the bond–but no one's going to give her an inadequate guardian either. If you want to be with her, then you need to work for it. You have your lessons. You have me." I resisted the urge to shiver at the double-meaning behind the words. "Use us or don't. You're an ideal choice to guard Vasilisa when you both graduate–if you can prove you're worthy. I hope you will." The last sentence was pure heart; I truly did want her to succeed.

I waited for her answer, hoping it would be something along the lines of "you're right" or "I'll try." Instead, I got a conceited, bratty answer.

"Lissa," she told me, "Call her Lissa."

My temper flared with a violence that startled me. Before I could start yelling at her or do something stupid to her, I walked away, controlling both my thoughts and actions and making sure I didn't do anything rash.

I flipped open my phone and sighed. It was time for my patrol duty anyways. I directed my thoughts to Rose and wondered what in the world I would do with her. A grim smile lit up my face. Running. Laps. Well, this was going to be fun.

**Soooooo..... Was it good? Plz R&R!!! Critism is appreciated as is comments/compliments. A writer can only get better if they get advice!!! Thnx!**

**~Leena**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thanks for the support on the running! ****(Specifically puppylove216. Thank you soooo much. I love support. Here's an extra chappie 'cause it made my day. )**

**1.5 miles in 14 minutes!!! Bad, but working on it. Here's another chapter dedicated for the support. I love this one because Dimitri gets soooo jealous!!! Remember, more reviews, the faster I update! R&R Plz!!! **

**DPOV**

After my shift, I entered the commons, getting ready for lunch duty. I needed find Alberta, since I didn't get to before. A shrill, girly voice was raised in outrage as I passed through the doors.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" A blond, Barbie-like girl that couldn't be older than thirteen or fourteen was staring at Rose and Vasilisa in hatred. Lissa, I meant. Rose didn't see me lurking in the shadows as I contemplated showing myself and breaking up the fight.

Rose crossed her arms protectively. Man, she looked so strong and cute when she went into her protective mode. I know I'm way older than she is, but I'm still twenty-four and only a guy. I pushed these thoughts away for later.

"Are you lost, little girl?" Rose sneered in a taunting tone. "The elementary school's over on west campus." She watched in amusement as the girl turned a bright pink. The doll-faced girl's sapphire eyes were filled with anger and hate.

"Don't you ever touch me again," she said, trying to feign nonchalance. "You screw with me, and I'll screw you right back."

I could see Rose smirk and open her mouth to release a torrent of comebacks that would embarrass the girl even more. Then, Lissa gave her a look, which stopped her cold. Instead, she went with a brutal threat. "And if you mess with either of us again, I'll break you in half." I winced at her crude wording. "If you don't believe me, go ask Dawn Yarrow about what I did to her arm in ninth grade. You were probably at nap time when it happened." I could easily remember what happened. It was a subject Kirova had brought up when she was briefing me on Rose, before I started looking for them. The poor girl never even had a chance.

Doll-face paled. Her skin was already white and delicate, but it was easy to see how scared she was of Rose. Jill, a staff member, walked by, giving them a steady, don't-give-me any trouble, look. Doll-face backed off. "Come on," she growled at the boy next to her and grabbing his arm. He looked uneasily at his girlfriend, probably wondering if there was something wrong with her mental health.

"Hey, Aaron," Rose said, a friendly note in her voice. "Nice to see you again."

He nodded and smiled shakily, but didn't reply. He allowed his girlfriend to drag him off to who knows where.

I walked away, hoping that Rose would calm down and comfort Lissa. I still needed to find Alberta and get to my lunch duty. And stop getting distracted by Rose.

*******************

Rose and Lissa reentered the commons as I stood in the corner of a room, scanning for any possible fights. They stood in line and got their food, Rose filling her plate to the top while Lissa simply grabbed a yogurt. I watched them discreetly, but my eyes were mostly on Rose. They got checked out and begun talking, but I was too far away to make out words, especially in the noisy lunchroom.

Lissa handed Rose a sheet of paper, most likely comparing schedules with her. Rose grimaced then stopped walking and drew closer to her, attempting to keep what she was saying private. After a minute or two, they continued walking and searching for a place to sit, but they both had looks on their faces that worried me.

"Lissa!" A girl yelled from a table in front of me. It was Prince Victor Dashkov's daughter; Natalie, I believe. Luckily, I was leaning against the wall behind a white column, so I was safely shadowed, invisible to Rose and Lissa as they approached. I felt bad about eavesdropping on them, but it wasn't like I could move from my post.

The two girls sat down and Natalie hugged Lissa tightly. I blocked out most of the mindless stream of chatter Natalie kept up, until she asked a question I couldn't ignore. "What'd you do for blood, Lissa?" My breathing stopped.

It would not be good for either Rose or Lissa for this to get out. Rose would be named a blood whore and Lissa may be looked down upon by some of the higher royals. I relaxed a little when I heard Rose say, "Oh, it's easy. There are a lot of humans who want to do it." Her voice was even and smooth, sounding totally believable. If I hadn't seen it done myself, I might be tempted to believe her.

One of the other girls asked, "Really?" All of their eyes were wide, totally sucking up everything Rose said. Rose nodded.

"Yup. You find 'em at parties and stuff. They're all looking for a fix from something, and they don't really get that a vampire's doing it: most are already so wasted they don't remember anyways." She shrugged coolly, dismissing it. Natalie dropped the subject and started on a different one.

A part of me was proud of Rose, how she confidently lied to save both Lissa's and her skin. The other part was worried, worried that someone would see through her vague descriptions and details. But until then, I wouldn't worry about it.

I focused on Rose again. Her eyes wandered, narrowing playfully as she directed her eyes at a group of novices. Ashford. I held back a growl that rose up in my throat. Damn him. Couldn't he just leave her alone? I watched her smile at him, which made my blood boil and heat up in my veins. And, yes, I was jealous yet again. I stared at the floor, unable to watch Rose and Ashford again. I was soon thrust out of my thoughts by Rose's voice.

"Hey, Natalie. Who's Aaron's new girlfriend?" Her eyes were glued onto the blond girl she had been fighting with earlier.

Natalie looked in the direction Rose was staring at. "Huh? Oh, Mia Rinaldi." Rose's face was a question mark. "Don't you remember her?"

"Should I?" Rose inquired. "Was she here when we left?"

"She's always been here," Natalie said. "She's only a year younger than us."

Rose gave Lissa a confused look and was rewarded with a shrug. She asked, "Why is she so pissed off at us? Neither of us know her." Natalie shrugged.

"I don't know," she answered truthfully. "Maybe she's jealous about Aaron. She wasn't much of anybody when you guys left. She got _really _popular _really _fast. She isn't royal or anything, but once she started dating Aaron, she–"

She was rudely interrupted by Rose, yet again. "Okay, thanks. It doesn't really–" She dropped off suddenly. I looked up from the floor, alerted by her sudden pause in words. My eyes saw her staring up at Jesse Zeklos.

I knew who he was, obviously. He was a smart, playboy type of guy and the ideal boyfriend for a lot of girls. I hated seeing a flirtatious sparkle in Rose's eyes as Jesse met her eyes. But I had to say, I felt worse about Jesse than I did about Ashford. My eyes narrowed on his face as he smiled at Rose.

"Hey Rose," he said cockily. "Welcome back. You still breaking hearts?" His eyes were filled with a little more than appreciation as his gaze slid over Rose's body. Rose smiled lazily in return.

"Are you volunteering?" she asked him, allowing hope to color her words.

Zeklos's grin broadened. "Let's hang out sometime and find out. If you ever get parole." He continued walking, lazily slouching, hands in pockets. And honestly? After seeing Rose watching him leave with a dumb smile on her face, I wanted to go break something of his, preferably something that would leave a permanent mark on his good-looking little, face of his.

"Oh my gawd." A voice startled me from my murderous thoughts. "That was _Jesse_." She emphasized his name with obvious awe.

Rose leaned back in shock and smiled a gorgeous smile that made my heart race. "Yes," she breathed, "It certainly was."

"I wish I looked like you," the girl added. I looked at her, as did the rest of the table. Rose looked almost human, obtaining all the more defined features that humans had. Everyone else was jealous and I could see why. She was beautiful.

*******************

After classes ended, I went looking Rose to start her first practice. They were standing outside and Lissa was, like always, standing with her. They were talking in hushed voices, even though no one was around. I ducked behind a corner, straining to hear what they were saying. They both looked upset, and I could tell that they were worried. I caught the end of Lissa's statement.

"–stay, and we'll keep out of all that stuff. We'll 'coast through the middle' like you want. Hang out with Natalie, I guess."

I really didn't know what to think. It was good Rose wanted to stay off Kirova's radar, but the real question was why. They were quiet and whispering, so they obviously didn't want anyone to hear what they were saying. I concentrated on their words, or more like their pondering silence.

Rose finally spoke up. "All right then. We'll see how this goes. If anything goes wrong–anything at all–we leave. No arguments." Lissa nodded. I decided to butt in before they could start planning escape.

I stepped out of my hiding spot, my body towering over them both. "Rose?"

She looked up in surprise, but covered it up smoothly. "You're late for practice," I said. "Princess." I nodded in respect. Rose and I walked away for our first training. Her face was worried and she seemed deep in thought. While we walked, I made no effort to make small talk. I was her teacher, as much as I would want to be more.

After a while, the silence grew a little awkward. Rose blankly stared straight ahead, not making any noise at all. I leaned towards her, grateful for the faint sound of her breath entering and leaving her lungs. Her face suddenly exploded into a bunch of different emotions. Fear, surprise, confusion, anticipation were all spread out across her face. She inhaled sharply. I said her name. "Rose. Rose!" I didn't know what was happening and was scared for one of the few times in my life. Scared for Rose.

**Ya like it? I just love a jealous Dimitri, don't you? Tell me what ya think. R&R!!! (I love reviews!!! And critism!!!)**

**~Leena**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey, sorry I haven't updated in FOREVER!!!! My bad. Cross Country is just soooo time consuming, not to mention student council & tennis. There's a HUGE competition coming up Saturday, so I might not update until another week or so. I really want at least 30 reviews!!!! R&R, thanks! (Check out my new Fanfic. I really don't like it, but whatev.) **

**Oh yeah, this is about a VERY jealous Dimitri. Seriously. He needs to get a grip. (P.S. Jealous=HOT!!!!!!)**

**DPOV**

"Rose," I said again. She didn't answer me. Her face was blank of any emotions now, but that scared me even more. The only sign of her being alive was her steady breathing. I grabbed her shoulder and shook it gently. Her body was like putty, allowing anything to topple her over with the slightest push.

I held her upright as she sagged forward. Her eyes were empty and dark, devoid of anything she was feeling at the moment. I tried calling her name once more. "Rose? Rose?"

My body slumped with relief as I saw her blink cautiously. "Are you all right?" I wanted to ask more than what I just said, but this time, I decided to go with the mentor-type relationship. She took in her surroundings and looked at me.

"I…yeah. I was…I was with Lissa…." She touched her forehead gently. "I was in her head.

Well, that really cleared things up. What the heck? Was I missing something here? "Her…head?" Okay, I felt pretty stupid right now, but I was also worried about Rose. Maybe she hit her head a little too hard with Ashford. Or maybe I was just paranoid.

"Yeah. It's part of the bond," she informed me. She didn't bother explaining, so I didn't push it. I was still worried about her, but my charge was Lissa, not Rose, so I decided to make sure that she was safe.

I asked, "Is she all right?"

"Yeah, she's…" Rose hesitated, which made my alarm flare slightly. Finally she said, "She's not in danger." I wanted a better answer, a firm confirmation, but according to Rose's face, it was the most I was going to get out of her.

Now I turned my attention back to Rose. "Can you keep going?" I knew my face was full of concern and distress, but I didn't try to hide it. A large part of me wanted Rose to know how much I cared for her already, even though she probably thought it was in a teacher-like way. But I knew that it was way more than that. I just had to hide it from Rose. She probably wouldn't appreciate a twenty four-year old guy crushing on her, as 'god-like' as he may be.

She nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine." Emotion now showed on her face, but not the kind I'd like to see. It was pain and apprehension. I winced, knowing that she was tired and apprehending how much torture I would put her through.

I watched her disappear through the dressing room. After a few minutes, she reappeared, dressed for workout. I noticed her hair was down, so I made a mental note to talk to her about that. It would distract her in a lot of different ways.

Her face suddenly looked pained. She unconsciously rubbed her shoulders and arms, which were probably hurting like hell. She turned to me. "Hey Comrade, how 'bout you let me off today?"

I laughed, thinking that she was joking. She couldn't actually think that I would let her off. It was her fault for running away. She glared at me. "Why is that funny?" The laughter died away from my face and my smile disappeared. Wow, she was actually serious. I resisted rolling my eyes at her naivety.

"Oh," I said, feeling embarrassed for her. "You were serious."

She rolled her eyes. "Of course I was! Look, I've technically been awake for _two _days. Why do we have to start this training now? Let me go to bed. It's just one hour." She pouted, but that had no effect on me, as cute as she looked. I shook these thoughts away and looked down at her over my nose.

I crossed my arms across my chest. She had obviously recovered from getting sucked into Lissa's head, so I felt no pity or concern for her. It was time to turn back into the hard, ax murderer mentor Ashford had described me to be.

"How do you feel right now? After the training you've done so far?"

"I hurt like hell," she admitted.

"You'll feel worse tomorrow," I pointed out. She looked confused and slightly suspicious.

"So, better to jump in now while you still feel…" I looked for the right word. I gave up after a long pause. "not as bad," I finished lamely.

"What kind of logic is that?" she demanded. I ignored her and, instead, led her to the weight room. She didn't protest, which I was grateful for. I showed her how to lift some lights weights and do some reps. She looked at me in disbelief as I collapsed in the corner of the room and flipped open the Western novel I was reading.

I caught her eye and shrugged nonchalantly. She shook her head and muttered to herself. I laughed silently from behind my book.

After finishing her reps, I went over to her and demonstrated some easy, cool-down stretches. She copied me before asking a question. "How'd you end up as Lissa's guardian? You weren't here a few years ago. Were you even trained at this school?"

We were sitting down, stretching with one leg tucked in and the other out in front. I turned my head to find her staring at me quizzically with her dark, bottomless eyes. I swallowed. She made me so self-conscious sometimes.

I answered her hesitantly. "No. I attended the one in Siberia."

She continued studying my face. I flushed slightly, but managed to keep my face clear of any emotion or heat. "Whoa," she responded, "That's got to be the only place worse than Montana."

My lips _almost_ curved into a smile. I usually never smiled, but there was something about Rose that made me grin and laugh. "After I graduated, I was a guardian for a Zeklos lord. He was killed recently." All amusement disappeared from me. "They sent me here because they needed extras on campus. When the princess turned up, they assigned me to her, since I'd already be around. Not that it matters until she leaves campus."

Rose's face turned thoughtful. "Did this lord die on your watch?" Ah, that's what she was interested in. My past charge.

"No," I answered morosely. "He was with his other guardian. I was away." I stopped talking, thinking about the kickass times Ivan and I had together. Rose studied me even more closely. I turned away from her searching gaze. She rolled her shoulders.

"Hey, did you come up with the plan to get us back? Because it was pretty good. Brute force and all that." Her voice was cheerful and uplifting. I knew it because I was so depressed, and I have to say, it definitely lightened my mood. From what I know about her, _Rose Hathaway _trying to cheer someone up is about as absurd as pigs flying.

I raised an eyebrow, trying not to seem as elated as I felt. She looked at me admiringly for a second before it disappeared. I had no idea why, but frankly, I didn't care. I asked, "You're complimenting me on that?"

She shrugged. "Well, it was a hell of a lot better than the last one they tried." Okay. I was stumped here. What did she mean by 'last one'?

"Last one?" I said, still puzzling over her words.

"Yeah," she said, nodding. "In Chicago. With the pack of psi-hounds." I slanted my gaze at her, wondering if she was pulling my leg.

"This is the first time we found you. In Portland." She sat up and crossed her legs, Indian-style.

Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Um, I don't think I imagined psi-hounds. Who else could have sent them? They only answer to Moroi. Maybe no one told you about it." She rolled her eyes in a dismissive manner.

I let it go. "Maybe." Shrugging, I stood up. I reached down and pulled her to her feet. Her hand was warm and soft, and I held it a moment more than I should have. By her face, I could tell she hadn't noticed. I mentally scolded myself before turning to her.

"Okay," I said. "Practice is over. You can g–" She was heading out the door within moments. I laughed quietly. She waved goodbye without even turning around and left. I sighed. I left the gym and headed towards the guardian dorms.

Exhausted, I climbed up the stairs and entered my neat tidy room. By the time my head hit the pillow, I was asleep.

******************

Rose stumbled in the next morning, rubbing her eyes tiredly. This time, I simply pointed her towards the weights and read in my corner. I could hear her grunts of pain and effort as she bench-pressed some weights.

We didn't talk much afterwards, which I was slightly disappointed in. Whenever I talked with Rose, I felt calm and peaceful, despite the bantering and teasing we did most of the time we were together.

After doing her stretches, Rose asked if she was done. I nodded and followed her mad dash out of the room. What she didn't know was that Kirova had ordered me to follow her around and watch her, making sure that nothing was being planned. I entered her first period class, making sure that I was the first one there and had the best hiding spot.

I could tell no one noticed me, especially Ashford and Rose. Everywhere I looked, they were laughing and talking to each other. I watched Ashford sling his arm around Rose's shoulder and smile at her. My breathing quickened slightly and I felt my throat tighten up in a defensive way. I coughed, trying to get rid of the snarl that was rising up.

Rose shrugged his arm off good-naturedly, which made me _extremely _happy. My mood didn't last long. Ashford waved his hands dramatically and said something which made Rose crack a soft, genuine smile. My heart raced and tightened in my chest at her grin.

She whispered something in his ear and slid her arm around his shoulders. I felt my face heat up. I wanted to kill him, especially when I saw him snake an arm around her waist. I waited for Rose to pull away, but instead, she leaned in and murmured in his ear.

My blood simmered in my veins. I couldn't stand Ashford's flirting, so instead, I slipped out of room before I could knock Ashford off his feet and drag Rose away, preferably to somewhere far, far away and more private.

************************

I rejoined Rose at lunch, taking my post by Natalie Dashkov's table. Rose pulled Lissa away from the table after they ate and began to talk to her with a not-so-friendly look on her face. I edged along the wall, wondering if they were talking about escaping again.

Lissa had on an angry, disbelieving look. "You were in my head again? For _that _long?"

Rose was defensive. "I didn't do it on purpose. It just happened. And that's not the point. How long did you hang out with him afterwards?"

"Not that long. It was kind of…fun." I had no idea who they were talking about, but it obviously related to what happened by the pods yesterday. I strained to catch the rest of their conversation.

"Well, you can't do it again," Rose declared, decisively. "If people find out you're handing out with him, they'll crucify you." Her eyes suddenly slanted questioningly as a thought struck her. "You aren't, like, into him, are you?"

Lissa rolled her eyes and laughed. "No. Of course not." I didn't know if Rose heard it, but there was a hint of uncertainty under Lissa's calm exterior.

Rose obviously bought it. "Good. Because if you're going to go after a guy, steal Aaron back." Her face was thoughtful and satisfied. Lissa giggled.

"Mia would claw my eyes out," she said. Rose scowled.

"We can take her. Besides, he deserves someone who doesn't shop at Gap Kids." That was pretty mean of her, but whoever this Mia was, she obviously deserved it. I was guessing that Mia was the small, blond girl Rose was beating up on before.

Lissa smacked Rose on her shoulder. "Rose, you've got to stop saying things like that."

"I'm just saying what you won't," Rose said, shrugging.

I wanted to catch the rest of their conversation, but my watch beeped and reminded me that lunch was almost over. I sighed and left the commons, walking towards Rose and Lissa's next class. I checked their schedule. Science.

Jake was already there, standing in the back. He acknowledged me with a nod. I nodded back and took my place next to him. Students began filing in. I scanned the room.

A few royal Moroi was screwing with non-royal. They were air users and they were blowing the non-royal's papers around the room. I wanted to step in, but they were royal and I really didn't want to get mixed up with them. The best I could do was to shoot the poor guy some sympathetic looks. After a few minutes, Rose and Lissa came in. I subconsciously straightened and cleared my face of any thoughts or emotions.

Rose scanned the room with an uneasy expression. They two girls must have had a strange conversation or fight, judging by the look on her face. She trailed Lissa, pausing to look at the bullying going on with the air users. She looked like she was about beat them up until she glanced at Lissa. All the tension relaxed out of her and she glared at them instead. She walked to her desk.

Jesse Zeklos caught her arm. My eyes narrowed and I took a step forward, not knowing what I was going to do to him. Jake looked at me with a puzzled expression on his face. I stopped and took a deep breath.

They were close enough for me to hear them. "Hey," Rose said, smiling flirtatiously. "Hands off the merchandise." She raised her eyebrows coyly. I stopped breathing.

Zeklos grinned, showing off his straight, white teeth. He didn't remove his hand, which made me angry, even though I didn't show it. "Rose." I hated how he said her name. "Tell Pail about the time you started the fight in Ms. Karp's class." Ah, Ms. Karp. She had turned herself Strigoi willingly, something almost unheard of.

Rose tilted her head and flashed him a teasing smile. "I started a lot of fights in her class." She bit her bottom lip, smiling and looking at him from beneath a curtain of eyelashes. My fists clenched. I flexed my arms tensely, feeling the muscles ripple underneath my jacket.

"The one with the hermit crab," Jesse said. "And the gerbil."

Rose let out a soft laugh. "Oh yeah. It was a hamster, I think. I just dropped it into the crab's tank, and they were both worked up from being so close to me, so they went at it." I chuckled silently.

The boy, Paul, asked, "Who won?"

Rose wrinkled her brow. "I don't remember. Do you?"

Jesse shrugged. "No. I just remember Karp freaking out." He turned away from her to face Paul. "Man, you should have seen this messed-up teacher we used to have. Used to think people were after her and would go off on stuff that didn't make any sense. She was nuts. Used to wander campus while everyone was asleep." Jesse and Paul laughed, but Rose didn't join in. She smiled, but was obviously uncomfortable about this topic. My curiosity sparked.

Rose's eyes suddenly blanked, as if remembering something. I watched her face, slightly worried. Jesse, the idiot, and Paul didn't notice her. They continued talking about some party tonight. I perked up, planning on the perfect way to catch them.

Finally, Jesse noticed Rose. "Hey Rose," he said, "You've got to slip your leash tonight." I swung my head around to glare at them. "We're going up to that spot in the woods around eight thirty. Mark got some weed." I gritted my teeth. Drugs. Great. Just what Rose needed. I turned to look at her reaction.

She sighed regretfully. "Can't slip that leash." I smiled. "I'm with my Russian jailer." My smile disappeared.

Zeklos frowned, disappointed. He let go of her arm and smoothed down his sun-browned hair. "Can't you ever get off for good behavior?" he asked, joking.

Rose sat down in her seat and flicked her head around. Flipping her hair over her shoulders, she gave him a man-eating smile that stopped my heart. "Sure," she said, seductively. "If I was ever good." Somehow, I doubted that.

**I really liked writing this chapter. I think it was my best one. What do you think? R&R!!! Remember, 30 reviews!!!**

**~Leena**


	6. No Book!

**I am so so so so sorry! I don't have a book to use for DPOV. :( I've been using the library's copy and it was wayyyy over due. So, until I get another copy, no more chappies. Sorry!!! The waiting list is, like, 8 peeps long, so no good. I'll try to get one from my friend. Thanks!!!**

**~Leena**


	7. Chapter 6

**Hey, I FINALLY got a book!!! Here's a long chappie to make up for it. It took me forever, so plz R&R! Oh yeah, I love all the reviews!!! (Especially Heaven829's and Sugarjunkie123's) It keeps me writing and ideas flowing. Hey, is it 2 much 2 ask for 60 reviews? Only 12 reviews away from the next chappie...**

* * *

I was in Kirova's office the next day; standing in a corner by the door. Images of Ashford and Zeklos kept flitting through my head; filling me with sudden anger. I inhaled deeply, trying to calm myself down. It worked, at least until Rose appeared in the doorway.

She scanned the room with the famous Hathaway smirk; making me shrink back into the shadows. Luckily, she didn't see me, but I knew why I didn't want her to. It was the fear of being rejected, or maybe being treated with the disdain she gave the other guardians. It made me feel old, too old to even associate with her. And, hell, that definitely doesn't work for me.

Her gaze finally landed on Kirova. "Hey, Kirova –er, Mrs. Kirova," she said. I smirked. Close call. Kirova looked up from her papers with an exasperated look on her face. My smile grew before disappearing. Kirova wouldn't be very happy if she saw me laughing at her expense.

"Yes, Miss Hathaway?" she asked. She tapped her pen against her leg impatiently. Rose shifted. It wasn't totally visible, but I could easily see that she was nervous.

"Does my house arrest mean I can't go to church?" I rolled my eyes. Wow, this was creative, even for Rose. From what I've heard, Rose almost never goes to church. I watched Kirova and saw her eyes widen with surprise. Obviously, she'd never heard of Rose being religious either.

"I beg your pardon?"

Rose shrugged, trying to act nonchalant. "You said that whenever I'm not in class or practice, I have to stay in the dorm. But what about church on Sundays? I don't think it's really fair to keep me away from my religious…um, needs." I studied her face. She clearly didn't have any religious needs to tend to; most likely a plot to stay close to Lissa.

Kirova adjusted her glasses. It was a habit that meant she was uneasy. Not surprisingly, she usually did it when Rose was around. "I wasn't aware you had any religious needs." Rose tried a convincing smile.

"I found Jesus while I was gone." Her sweet smile turned into a smirk. She just couldn't resist this one little jibe.

Kirova eyed her. "Isn't your mother an atheist?"

Rose crossed her arms. "And my dad's probably Muslim," she said, rolling her eyes with irritation, "But I've moved on to my own path. You shouldn't keep me from it." The corners of my mouth turned up.

Kirova scoffed loudly. "No, Miss Hathaway, I should not. Very well. You may attend services on Sundays." I looked at her, not expecting her to give in. Then, I realized that she just wanted to get Rose out of her office.

Rose backed out of the doorway with a triumphant smile on her face. I let out a long breath. Kirova looked at her watch before turning back to her papers.

Without looking at me, she said, "Belikov, there goes your student." She waved a hand at door. I sighed and left to follow Rose. Some guardian things are just so demeaning.

* * *

On the next Sunday, I sat in the back of the church. As people began to take communion, I saw Rose eyeing me curiously. Like me, she didn't take communion. I ignored her and everything out. With intense concentration, I managed to tune everything out. I let me thoughts wander.

What came to me first was Rose. I didn't know what to do with her. She was fierce and sarcastic, but I was still attracted to her. Then, I realized something for the first time.

I was in love with Rose Hathaway.

Panic gripped me. I was in love with my student. I inhaled slowly, trying to calm myself down. This was not good, but I knew that there was nothing I could do about it. She was rude, but that made her reckless…and brave. What I loved about her was her beauty and fierceness, her devotion and courage. I loved so many things about her… and I couldn't even tell her.

With an effort, I wrenched myself away from the hopeless thoughts I was thinking. I opened my eyes. I didn't know I had even closed them. Looking around, I saw that the priest's sermon was over.

Everyone stood up, stopping to talk and chat together. Rose, I saw, was elbowing her way to the priest with an excited expression. I followed slowly, still weary from my intense thinking moments ago.

After maneuvering through the thick crowd, I managed to end up next to Rose. Luckily, she was too wrapped up in her conversation with the father to notice me. I shrunk back, catching the last bit of their conversation.

"–Anna. About how she was "shadow-kissed." I could hear the barely concealed eagerness in her voice. "What does that mean?" I studied her. Why would she care about a long-dead saint?

The priest looked at her with a thoughtful frown. "I'm not entirely sure. She lived a very long time ago. It was often common to refer to people by titles that reflected some of their traits. It might have been given to make her sound fierce."

Rose scowled, even though she tried to hide it. This was obviously not the answer she wanted to hear. "Oh," she replied, "So who was she?"

Father grimaced at her, obviously annoyed. "I mentioned it a number of times."

"Oh. I must have, um missed that," she said, shifting her eyes impatiently. The father's frown grew deeper.

Turning around, he said, "Wait right here."

We watched him go, Rose tapping her fingers on her arm with concealed irritation. She glanced at the door with clear regret, obviously wishing that she had never come. A few moments later, the priest came back with a thick book clutched in his hands. He gave it to Rose.

I peeked over her shoulder to read the title of the book. _Moroi Saints_. Fitting. The priest spoke up. "You can learn about her in here. The next time I see you, I'd like to hear what you've learned."

By Rose's incredulous stare, I could tell that she obviously didn't expect homework from a _priest_. I held back a grin as she turned around and glared at the book, looking like she wanted to burn it.

She started heading over to Lissa, who was talking to a blond boy by the entrance. I followed her, feeling a lot like a stalker. The only good thing about this assignment was being able to be close to Rose.

Rose joined Lissa and the boy. I caught up to her and heard Lissa talking. "Rose, you're never going to believe this. You know Abby Badica? And Xander? Their guardian wants to resign. And marry _another_ guardian." She put an extra emphasis on the _another_ part.

I watched Rose's face to see how she'd react to this. "Seriously?" she asked with disbelief, "Are they, like, going to run off together?"

Lissa nodded excitedly. "They're getting a house. Going to get jobs with humans, I guess." I grimaced. Erika and Caden were some of the best guardians. I looked at Rose, not knowing what I wanted as her reaction.

Rose looked at the blond boy. "How are Abby and Xander dealing with that?"

The boy shrugged. "Okay. Embarrassed. They think it's stupid." He glanced at Rose. Then, his eyes widened nervously. "Oh. I didn't mean–"

She brushed it off. "Whatever," she reassured him, "It _is _stupid."

My heart sank. Now I knew that I'd wanted her to stand up and say that she thought that it was fine, that it was okay to be in love with another guardian. Hell, I was in love with a _novice_. After she claimed that it was stupid, overwhelming feelings of misery and distress consumed me. This was the final blow that made me know that I'd never had a chance with Rose.

After chatting for a few more minutes, the two girls left the church. I followed them…then abruptly jumped back.

A huge pile of slush slid off the roof and landed on both Rose and Lissa; Lissa taking the most of the snow.

Shaking off the slush, Rose turned immediately to Lissa and asked if she was okay. I shook my head in disbelief. I still couldn't believe how much they cared about each other. Lissa shivered.

"Y–yeah," Lissa replied shakily.

She was soaked head-to-toe, wracking with shivers. Then, to my amazement, Rose stepped out of her coat and offered it to Lissa. She glanced at her nervously. "Take yours off." Lissa eyed it disapprovingly.

"But you'll be–"

Rose rolled her eyes in exasperation. "Take this," she said sternly, leaving no room for argument. And incredibly, the _princess _allowed her dhampir friend to boss her around. Chastised, Liss slipped into to the coat, giving Rose a grateful look. Rose glanced around at the laughing students, but ignored them; focusing on holding Lissa's damp jacked as she changed.

A fat–er, _chubby_ Moroi boy spoke up. "Wish you hadn't been wearing a coat, Rose." She turned slowly, a dangerous glint in her eye. "That shirt would have looked good wet." Within a matter of seconds, I hated him. Of course, not as much as Jesse or Ashford.

Just then, Alberta strode up beside me, where I was standing in the doorway. "Hey, Belikov," she said, cheerfully, "On duty?"

No one else knew about my assignment to follow Rose, except Kirova. I shook my head. "No. Why?"

She shrugged. "C'mon, let's go." She grabbed my arm and dragged me across the church yard. Damn, I've gotta say, that woman is _strong_. It's like being hauled away by an elephant. I shot a fleeting look over my shoulder where Rose and Lissa were. I mentally groaned as I saw Doll-face leaning close to Rose with a malicious look plastered on her pale features. What worried me even more, though, was Rose looking like she'd like to strangle Doll-face. Uh oh.

Alberta pinched me, annoyed. "Did you hear anything I've said?" I shook my head sheepishly. She groaned, slapping her forehead in exasperation. "Why do I even bother?" she asked the sky. Finally, she turned back towards me. "Kirova ordered me to give you this."

She held out a note. Suppressing a groan, I crossed myself. Alberta grinned. All the guardians were scared, or at least wary, of Kirova. With a mock pitying pat on my arm, she slipped away.

I opened the note. _Belikov,_ it stated, _Follow her. You're off duty this week. Watch everything she does. Do what you must to make sure the princess stays here. She won't leave without her. Don't let them escape again. And, most importantly, don't have any kind of close mentor relationship with her. Don't let her be comfortable. Sincerely, Headmistress Kirova._

I read the note again. '_And most importantly, don't have any kind of close mentor relationship with her.' _Did falling deeply and unexplainably in love count?

* * *

**(Note: Hey peoples, I added in my own personal scene that's not in the book. Should I do more of these, or should I stick to the book? R&R!)**

Back in the commons, I wandered around looking for Rose. If I knew Rose, then she'd be out socializing, not cooped up in her room. I thought about my own room, neat and organized with my precious western novels waiting for me.

Once I got started thinking about my room, though, I started to wonder if Rose would like it, if she'd ever come up to see it or to see me. Maybe she'd come up and we'd talk and then I'd lean in close, twisting my fingers into her dark, silky hair. She'd close her eyes and slip her arms around my neck and–

WHAT???

I panicked and shoved my imaginary dream as far back into my head as it could go. My breath came in short gasps and my chest felt tight. I looked around, desperately looking for something to claim my attention. My eyes fell on Ashford who was glancing, looking for someone. I had no doubt who that someone was.

Coolly, I strolled up to him. He saw me and nodded. "Guardian Belikov," he said with a tinge of awe and respect coloring his voice. I nodded back, acknowledging him. I looked at him from the corner of my eye as he scanned the room again with hopeful, puppy-dog eyes. Pitiful.

"Ashford," I said, casually, "Am I correct?" He nodded proudly. "Are you familiar with Rosemarie Hathaway?" His eyes lit up at the sound of her name. I swear, I was gonna beat him up some time soon.

He grinned. "Yeah–er, yes, Guardian Belikov. Rose and I…we're… friends," he finished, blushing a dark red; the same color as his hair. I didn't fancy the way his voice caressed her name or the slight hesitation when he claimed they were friends. It didn't go well with me. Not that I was jealous…oh, hell, of course I'm jealous._ Ashford_ has a better chance with Rose then I do. I turned to him.

"You wouldn't, uh, by any chance, happen to know where she is, would you?" I stuttered. He eyed me, puzzled, but shook his head.

"Sorry, Guardian Belikov. I haven't seen her. Actually, I was looking for Rose–uh _Rosemarie _right now. Should I tell her that you needed to see her?" He scowled slightly when he said '_Rosemarie._'

I shook my head. "No, I'll find _Rose_ later." He glanced at me sharply when I said 'Rose', as if_ he_ thought that _I _had no right to use her informal name. I nodded at him and walked away before I gave in to temptation and sucker punched him. Man, jealousy is hell.

**(Note: What do you think of it? More scenes like this? R&R)**

Ashford resumed his search for Rose outside as I stood in the corner of the busy room looking for her myself. A few minutes later, they strolled in together, Ashford helping Rose into his coat possessively. A growl resounded in my chest.

They were being loud, as usual, so I could hear them easily. "–guys sparring outside the chapel. Have you no respect for the house of God?" Ashford was saying, trying to impress Rose with his wit.

She smirked, amused. "You've got about as much respect for it as I do, you heathen. You didn't even go. Besides, as you said, we were _outside_." The way she smiled at him made me dizzy with fury. I took a few breaths to calm myself down.

"And you still didn't answer the question," Ashford said, bumping her shoulder playfully. Rose fluttered her eyelashes at him, obviously flirting. He played along, smiling mischievously. She looked around the commons, spotting a private, vacant table off to the side. Clutching his arm, she dragged Ashford to it. I followed discreetly, knowing perfectly well that Rose wasn't allowed here.

Because of the noise, I had to go closer to them than comfortable to hear their conversation. I knew that my main assignment was to make sure Rose and Lissa wasn't planning on escaping, but Ashford and she might be discussing possible escape plans and…oh damn it, screw this. I just wanted to know what she was talking about. Especially since it was with Ashford.

I caught the last part of Rose's complaint. "I don't want to hear about your glamorous social life." As if he had one.

"All right," he said, cheerfully, "Then tell me about Mia. You're just going to punch her one day, aren't you? I think I remember you doing that at least ten times with people that pissed you off." I was guessing that 'Mia' was Doll-face, considering Rose's grimace when Ashford said her name.

She winked. "I'm a new, reformed Rose," she claimed, attempting to be serious. It didn't work. Ashford choked out a laugh and I bit the inside of my cheek to keep myself from laughing out loud. "Besides," she added in her normal, sarcastic tone, "if I do that, I'll have broken my probation with Kirova. Gotta walk the straight and narrow."

Ashford stared at her. "In other words," he clarified, cheekily, "find some way to get back at Mia that you won't get in trouble for."

The corners of her mouth turned up reluctantly, trying to resist. "You know what I like about you, Mase? You think just like I do."

He replied offhandedly, but I could see him glowing with pride. The infamous _Rose Hathaway_ had admitted that she liked him. A triumph for any guy.

They continued chatting about Mia, boring, teenage gossip, so I tuned out of it. It was inconsequential to my assignment, but then again, I didn't exactly expect to hear anything useful. Instead, I put my 'guardian mask' on; stiff and silent features.

Eventually, Jackie, a matron, came and rebuked them, reminding them that Rose wasn't allowed in the commons because of Kirova's probation. Smoothly, Ashford broke in her lecture. "We have a group project to do for our humanities class. How are we supposed to do it if Rose is in isolation?" Bullshit.

Rose opened the book the church book and pointed to a page. "We're, um, working on this."

Jackie stared at them for a second longer. Simultaneously, Rose and Ashford smiled angelically. "One hour," she said, finally, "I'll give you one more hour down here, and I'd better actually see you working."

I decided to follow her example. I mean, even teenagers need their own privacy, right?

* * *

**Well? Good, bad? Like it, Hate it? Tell me the truth here! R&R, plz at least 60 before the next chappie! (By the way, excuse any swearing I use in this. I never swear, but when I write, it gives more emotion to it, ya know? Thanks!)**

**~Leena**


	8. Chapter 7

**Hey, it's me! Sorry 'bout the delay, some of the reviews weren't so flattering, so it demoralized me a li'l bit. For you guys who didn't like my last chappie, I'd like to add that I am only 12 YEARS OLD!!! WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM ME? Besides that, I loved the reviews. I'm glad you guys liked the extra scenes. I added a few more short ones. Plz R&R!**

After two more weeks of stalking Rose, I started to get bored. I mean, all she did was socialize, flirt, talk smartass stuff, and hang out with Lissa; somehow, all staying within Kirova's terms. So, like any normal person, I got slightly annoyed at my useless assignment. I was on break at the moment, heading towards my room, when I passed by Alberta and Jake.

"Belikov!" I turned towards Jake. He waved me over. I backtracked and cocked an eyebrow quizzically. He lowered his voice. "How's it going with Hathaway? Got any info on her yet?"

Questions rose up last week about how I was never on duty anymore, so Kirova had finally decided to inform the guardians about my assignment. The council wasn't too pleased about their ignorance, but there wasn't much they could do about it, considering Kirova was the headmistress; and a Moroi one at that. And now, to make up loss pride, guardians stop me whenever they see my, hoping they could get some information to give to the council.

I gave Jake a tight smile, trying to contain my annoyance. "Nope. Sorry, but she's been acting like a smart–" I caught a glimpse of my watch. I swore. "Проклятый!" **(Note: By the way, that means 'damn') **The two guardians stared at me. "Sorry," I apologized, not exactly sincere, "I've got training with Rose." They nodded and I turned and ran towards the gym.

* * *

Rose appraised me with a resentful glare as I tumbled through the gym doors. She crossed her arms and deliberately tapped her foot, feigning impatience. "What happened to punctuality?" she asked. She deepened her voice, attempting to sound like me in my instructor mode. "On time is late. Early is on time. Now get stretching."

I scowled at her. Sometimes I had a hard time believing I could tolerate, let alone love her. Then again, I was still unsure about how I felt about her. Maybe I was just reading too much into my 'teenage' crush.

She cleared her throat. I realized that I had been thinking for the past few minutes. "So, Comrade," she drawled, "How 'bout those stretches?" I coughed, trying to buy myself some time.

After my little coughing fit, I drew up the rest of my shredded dignity and announced that we were going to start stretches. I heard Rose snort, amused at my awkwardness. Under her breath, she murmured something like, "You go, Comrade." I glared at her, but she simply smiled innocently and returned to her pretzel stretches. I decided to let it go, but I had to keep that nickname in my head. Comrade. Hmmm, not bad.

We finished our stretches in silence. I rose to my feet and began walking outside, planning on going for a nice, _long _run. I took a deep breath of cool, misty air. I was planning on enjoying the outdoors when Rose's complaints rose to my ears.

"C'mon, Comrade, not again!"

I sighed. This was going to be another _long_ practice.

* * *

The next day, I walked into the gym and set up my miniature reading corner. I sat down and turned on an 80's song (When Doves Cry) on the CD player I brought along. Hey, just 'cause I'm only in my twenties doesn't mean I can't love Prince. Collapsing on the floor, I opened my Louis L'Amour western novel and dug in.

Soon after, Rose came sauntering in through the doors. She glanced at the CD player with slight disgust. She threw her bag down and bounced on the balls of her feet. "Whoa, Dimitri," she said, smirking, "I realize this is actually a current hit In Eastern Europe right now, but do you think we could maybe listen to something that wasn't recorded before I was born?"

Under her intense gaze, I couldn't move. It was like I was glued to the spot by her dark eyes. I swallowed and tried to act casual; flicking my eyes in her direction in an almost lazy glance. I met her challenging stare. "What does it matter to you?" I asked, daringly, "I'm the one who's going to be listening to it. You'll be outside running."

I expected some snappy comeback, but instead, she wrinkled her nose at me. It was actually really cute. And really distracting. I came back to her complaining to me. "–moving on to something with a little hitting? They're still killing me in group practice." I sighed impatiently.

"Maybe you should hit harder," I replied, grouchily. I mean, why are we even having this conversation? Any other novice would immediately do anything I told them to do, no matter how trifle it was. But this…this _teenage_ girl a foot shorter than me was, instead, whining about her lack of abilities.

Rose gave me an exasperated look. "I'm serious."

So was I. "Hard to tell the difference," I replied, closing my book. I set it on the ground next to me, but didn't otherwise move. "My job is to get you ready to defend the princess and fight dark creatures, right?"

She shrugged. "Yup."

"So tell me this," I demanded, "Suppose you manage to kidnap her again and take her off to the mall. While you're there, a Strigoi comes at you. What will you do?" I use this situation to both to kill her complaints and to pry for any clue of 'kidnapping' Lissa 'again'.

Rose looked at me. "Depends what store we're in."

I stared at her. Really?

She took the hint and got serious. "Fine. I'll stab him with a silver stake." I resisted the urge to burst out laughing. Where'd she get the stake from?

"Oh?" I asked, cocking my eyebrows and humoring her, "Do you have a silver stake? Do you even know how to use one?" I suspected 'no' to both these questions. She changed tactics.

"Okay. I'll cut his head off," she claimed, simply.

I rolled my eyes. With what? If she didn't have a stake, where would she get a sword/knife big enough to cut off a head? I voiced my doubts. "Ignoring the fact that you don't have a weapon to do that, how will you compensate for the fact that he may be a foot taller than you?" I could see that she was touchy about her height. She straightened immediately.

"Fine," she replied, offended, "then I'll set him on fire."

"Again, with what?"

"All right, I give up," she said, throwing up her hands, "You've already got the answer. You're just messing with me. I'm at the mall and I see a Strigoi. What do I do."

I stared at her, forcing her to take my answer seriously. "You run."

Her face twisted into a sneer. She seriously looked like she wanted to stab me with something, but instead, she wisely calmed down by finishing up her exercises. Once finished, I started walking out the door. "I'll run with you." I wanted to see how fast she'd gotten since she'd been here. I was rewarded with her face lighting up mischievously.

It was October and was slightly cold. We ran together, the cold air brushing past us. I resisted the urge to shiver. After a while, I began to hear Rose struggle for breath. I slowed down to match her pace. It was faster than I expected it to be, but I didn't know how long she could hold out for.

Looking at me in the corner of her eye, she actually began to_ speed up_. A lot. It was a fast pace and I was proud of her. She pushed herself harder, making it seem like she wanted my respect. I smirked. Yeah, right, Rose Hathaway wanting someone's approval. That's a laugh.

We had three more laps to go when I spotted Ashford and some other novices up ahead. Great. They watched us and as we passed, Ashford yelled, "Good form, Rose!" I scowled.

Rose's reaction was even worse. She grinned shyly and waved back. I turned my jealousy on her. "You're slowing down," I said, through gritted teeth, "Is this why your times aren't getting any faster? You're easily distracted?"

She stared at me for a moment before turning away and increasing her speed. I felt a little bit guilty at taking my anger out on her. I mean, it wasn't her fault. Well, not directly at least. I caught up to her easily, and we continued in silence.

After finishing our three miles, I checked the stopwatch. Wow. Two full minutes off of her time. Actually, it was really impressive.

Rose smiled proudly. "Not bad, huh?" she asked, smugly, "Looks like I could get as far as the Limited before the Strigoi got me at the mall. Not sure how Lissa would do."

I could see she was still a little bit insecure, so I felt the need to reassure her. "If she was with you, she'd be okay." Rose stared at me in shock. Oh. I just realized this was first actual encouraging compliment I've given her since she became my student. I'm surprised that she didn't start jumping and clapping her hands in excitement. I watched her closely. She met my gaze and unconsciously smiled. I was about to grin back when her face suddenly twisted in pain.

She doubled over. I lunged to help her, but she was up and running by then. I chased after her. She was heading towards the Moroi dorms. There could only be one thing. Lissa.

I strived to catch up to her. It was amazing how fast she was going after our training. She ignored me and increased her speed. I followed her.

Lissa met us before Rose could get inside. Tears were streaming down her face. Rose stumbled to a stop and grabbed Lissa's arms, peering at her face intently. "What's wrong," she asked, frantically, "What happened?" Lissa didn't reply, she just threw herself into Rose's arms. Rose patted her hair and spoke comforting words. Her eyes flamed with a dangerous threat to whoever did this to Lissa.

While this was happening, I hung around, searching for the cause of Lissa's breakdown. I glanced at Rose again. This was the first time I'd seen Rose show a weakness, an actual worried emotion. It touched me and worried me at the same time. She saw me looking at her and gave me a grateful look. My heart soared.

* * *

Later, we were in Lissa's dorm. I hovered around with Kirova, Jackie the matron, and three other guardians. Moroi girls pushed and pulled, trying to see what the big deal was. Even my stern look wasn't enough to kill their curiosity.

Natalie tumbled out from the crowd and glanced around. All our eyes fell on Lissa's bed. I felt like throwing up and by the looks of everyone else, so did they.

Lying on Lissa's pillow was a fox. I've always been partial to animals, for some reason. The fox was a light orange color mixed with dark red, like a sunset, with white shadows over its body. It was really cute. If you didn't count that its throat was cut.

Blood had dried on the fox's fur in dark red streams. It ran down the fur and pooled on the bedspread. The eyes, wide and unseeing, were the worse. They were glassy and filled with fear and apprehension. It was horrifying.

I took a look around. Lissa stepped forward hesitantly. She put out a hand, as if to touch the dead animal, but Rose quickly grasped it and pulled her away gently. Rose's face was blank, as if recalling a faint memory. Worried, I stepped closer to them. I noticed that Natalie did the same.

"It was still alive when I got back," I heard Lissa whisper, "Barely. Oh God, it was twitching. It must have suffered so much." I looked at Rose's face. She looked like she was going to be sick.

"Did you–"

"No. I wanted to….I started to…" Something in their hushed tones caught my ear. I leaned in slightly, not too obviously.

"Then forget about it," Rose ordered, "It's stupid. Somebody's stupid joke. They'll clean it up. Probably even give you a new room if you want."

Lissa turned to Rose in panic. "Rose…do you remember…that one time…"

Rose froze. "Stop it," she said, gritting her teeth, "Forget about it. This isn't the same thing."

"What if someone saw? What if someone knows?..." I saw Rose dig her nails into Lissa's arm. She winced.

"No," Rose stated firmly, "It's not the same. It has nothing to do with that. Do you hear me? It's going to be okay. Everything's going to be okay." She sounded like she was trying to convince herself as well as Lissa. Lissa nodded, obviously not believing her.

"Get this cleaned up," I faintly heard Kirova say to Jackie. "And find out if anyone saw anything. And what is Hathaway doing here?"

I winced. "Belikov," Kirova snapped, "She's under probation. You know that. Take her back." She turned away. I glared at her back.

Turning around, I beckoned Rose to follow me. She scowled, but followed reluctantly. We walked in silence until we were almost at her dorm. "You know something," I began, choosing my words carefully, "Something about what happened. Is this what you meant when you told Kirova that Lissa was in danger?"

She turned slowly to face me. Her eyes burned with a determined fire. She dodged my question. "I don't know anything. It's just some sick joke."

"Do you have any idea who'd do it? Or why?" I persisted.

She shrugged and thought for a moment. "No. No clue."

My patience was running out. "Rose, if you know something, tell me. We're on the same side. We both want to protect her. This is serious." Right when I said those words, I knew that it was the wrong thing to say.

Rose turned around, anger lighting her eyes up in hatred. "Yeah, this _is _serious," she said, her voice brimming with hatred. I knew it wasn't because of me, but I still winced under her furious glare. "It's all serious. And you have me doing laps every day when I should be learning to fight and defend her! If you want to help her, then teach me something! _Teach me how to fight_. I already know how to run away."

I kept my expression blank as I took in her wild eyes and clenched fists. I gestured her forward. "Come on. You're late for practice."

Everything was so confusing, but I knew that I would help Rose if it was the last thing I'd do. Too much relied on her for her to fail. It would be hard, but I knew she could do it.

**I don't get the computer as often as I'd like, but I try! Sorry if there's a few delays, but the more reviews, the faster the posts! R&R!**

**~Leena**


	9. Chapter 8

**Finally! I'm sooo sorry I haven't updated in FOREVER, but you wouldn't believe the waiting list at the library for this book. Luckily, I just bought my own copy, so I'll probably be able to update faster. Thanks for the reviews! Here's a special thanks to APM0829 for the special support! **

**Disclaimer: No, I'm not Richelle Mead and I do not own anything :(**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

he had kept true to her word. Fueled by her anger, she had finally won her first conquest against a novice named Shane Reyes. I watched in the shadows as she defeated him easily. Some of the students congratulating her performance with polite words. But personally? All I wanted to do was pull her flush against my body and kiss her senseless; proving to the world that she was mine. Proving to that Zeklos boy and, especially, to that Ashford novice.

Caught up in my fantasy, I hadn't realized that class was over and that Mason had snuck up to flirt with _my_ Rose. I can't believe he had the nerve to– Wait. A. Second. My Rose? When did Rose become _my _Rose. Though it did have a nice ring to it… Whoa there. Concentrate.

I shook my thoughts from my head and snuck closer to the pair who was still chatting animatedly. I soon figured out that Rose was tracking down the poor schmuck who was stupid enough to mess with her best friend. I had a hunch she would find that idiot who cut that fox's throat. And I pitied them for bringing about Rose's wrath. I looked towards them. Her back was towards me.

"Mase," she said, softly, "you claim to know about Mia. You think she might have done that?" She gazed at him with her beautiful, chocolate eyes.

He coughed and stared at her in surprise. "Whoa, hey, I'm not an expert on her or anything." Yeah. 'Cuz you have Rose to stalk instead. "But honestly? No. Mia won't even do dissections in biology. I can't picture her actually catching a fox, let alone, um, killing."

Rose's face fell and she turned from flirty and compelling to pleading. She looked desperately at him. "Any friends who might do it for her?"

Ashford shook his head regretfully. "Not really. They're not really the types to get their hands dirty either. But who knows?" Well. Isn't he just a smart, little novice? Psshh, I could've told Rose that. Those girls are all the same.

"Well, okay," Rose said, disappointed, "Thanks anyways. We'd better get to our next class." She began to walk away, but then hesitated. She turned back around and hugged Ashford tightly.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and saw me standing not too far away from their embrace, scowling. He must have thought it was because of the PDA (Public Display of Affection) and he smiled at me sheepishly. Reluctantly, he pulled away from Rose.

I smirked. _There ya go, little boy. Take your dirty hands off my girl,_ I thought bitterly. A small part of me whispered, _chill, you're just jealous. _Jealous? Me? Of course not. I was just, er, worried that Rose was getting uncomfortable. _Liar, _the voice screamed in my head, suddenly a lot louder than it was before. I was about to respond to the annoying voice…until I realized that I was arguing with myself.

And it was all because of that _girl_. She distracted me from all my duties and made me lose concentration. She definitely NOT good for me; yet, I couldn't let her go. I knew that I could easily pull a few strings and get me out of this assignment of following Rose, but even the thought of it made me my heart pound uncontrollably. I suddenly had another mission. To get over Rose.

* * *

I walked into the lunch room, scanning from either Rose or Lissa. I spotted Lissa sitting at the same table as before with her cousin and her friends. Once again, I took my place near their table, knowing that Rose would come by soon enough.

And I wasn't disappointed. Five minutes later, Rose sauntered in, taking in her surroundings coolly. She went to the lunch line and got some food before joining Lissa. Now that Rose was here, I decided to tune in into their conversations. And honestly? I didn't know if I wanted to listen because of my assignment…or just to get closer to Rose. My thoughts were muddled up.

As Rose sat down, her face twisted into a grimace of disgust and anger as she heard what Natalie was talking about.

"And it was just _there_," the not-so-bright girl was saying, "Right in the middle of the bed. There was blood _everywhere_." She waved her hands enthusiastically; obviously enjoying the attention she was getting and not noticing how Lissa looked like she was about puke her guts up.

I was about to step in and offer to escort the Princess to the nurse's, but Rose beat me to it. She dragged Lissa away forcefully, since it was obvious that Lissa would not be able to move on her own without throwing up.

They began to walk to their classes and I followed silently. "Damn," Rose was saying angrily, "That stupid b*#^$ needs to shut up sometimes. Can't she just talk about something that wouldn't make someone want to punch her? I swear, I could have knocked her out on the spot."

Lissa shrugged. "She's nice. You were just telling me the other day how much you liked her," she said vacantly.

"I do like her," Rose insisted, "but she's just incompetent about certain things." She waved her hands in the air dismissively. She glanced around and I ducked into a vacant classroom, until she turned away. Once she realized that people were staring at them she sighed and ran a hand through her hair. "How are you doing with this?" she asked Lissa, wearily.

A bitter smile appeared on Lissa's face. She snorted. "Can't you already feel it?" I assumed she was referring to the strange bond they shared.

Rose pulled at the ends of her hair. "Yeah, but I want to hear it from you."

Lissa bit her lip. "I don't know," she said, sadly, "I'll be okay. I wish everyone wouldn't keep staring at me like I'm some kind of freak." Oh no. This was_ definitely _gonna set Rose off.

And true to my word, Rose clenched her fists. She narrowed her eyes and took in a few deep breaths, obviously trying to calm down unsuccessfully. "Who's bothering you?" she asked through her clenched teeth. Lissa squinted at her.

"Rose, you can't beat up everyone we have a problem with," she said, soothingly. Rose laughed humorlessly.

"Mia?" she asked, bitterly. Lissa shrugged.

"And others," she said, uncomfortably. She placed a hand on Rose's arm. "Look, it doesn't matter. What I want to know is how this could have…" she hesitated before plowing on, "that is, I can't stop thinking about that time–" Rose interrupted once again.

"Don't." I cocked my head, confused. Rose looked almost…afraid. Rose Hathaway scared? That was almost too funny to believe. Unless you were seeing it right before your eyes. I strained to hear more, hoping they would continue with this new conversation. I wasn't disappointed.

Lissa swallowed nervously. "Why do you keep pretending that didn't happen?" she cried out, "You of all people. You fun of Natalie for going on and on, but it's not like you've got a good grip on your control switch." I scowled at the dismissive tone the so called _Princess _was giving my Rose. "You'll normally talk about anything." I laughed darkly. Rose's outgoingness was one of the things I loved about her, but to others, it was annoying. Oh the irony.

Rose licked her lips, which, of course, distracted me to no end. "But not _that_," I heard her say faintly. I didn't hear her as clearly because I was still staring at her enchanting, red lips moving. I moved back into the classroom and leaned my head against the wall. Okay. Deep breaths, Dimitri. It's nothing. She's just a novice. She's nothing to you except your student. You don't need her. I closed my eyes and exhaled deeply before turning back to the two girls a few feet away from me.

By the time I had turned back, the Zeklos boy had approached Rose. I bit the inside of my cheek sharply, allowing the pain to distract me from going over there and punching the boy.

"Hey, Rose," I heard him say in a honeyed tone. I glanced at Rose, my heart sinking to see her response. She was obviously attracted to him, er, not that it mattered to me. I just didn't want to see her hurt by his "player" ways. _Ha, _the silent voice whispered again in my head. I ignored it and, instead, focused on Rose, gritting my teeth.

She turned to face Jesse and shot him a heart-wrenching smile, biting her lip seductively. "Hey," she said, softly.

Jesse seemed to be turned on by this and barely managed a polite nod to Lissa. Stupid hormonal teenage boys. He sauntered up closer to Rose and asked, "So, hey, I'm going to be in your dorm tonight for a study group. You think…maybe…" He trailed off questioningly, raising his eyebrow.

Rose's eyes turned hooded with mischief. "Sure," she said, grinning and looking up at her through her curtain of thick eyelashes. My heart clenched in my chest with an uncomfortable pain. As I continued to watch Zeklos shot her a returning smile. I couldn't take this anymore. I pulled my whole body back into the empty classroom and slid down against the walls.

Faintly, I heard Zeklos telling Rose to meet him in one of the common areas and wait for more instructions from there. My head slumped into my hands. I couldn't breathe right. My breath came out in harsh pants and it seemed like I couldn't get enough oxygen.

The bell rang somewhere in the background, but I ignored it. The heart felt like it was being crushed and my chest seemed like it was constricting. Why did I feel like this? What was wrong with me? What was this painful feeling I suddenly started feeling a few days ago? When will it go away?

Questions swirled in my head and I had no answers for any of them. It was ridiculous. And it was all because of Rose. _Rose, Rose, _her name repeated over and over in my head. Her image appeared. Her silky hair, her full lips, and her endless eyes. I pulled at my hair and continued in my thinking.

After what seemed like hours, Guardian Petrov walked in. She started when she saw me.

"Belikov? What are you doing in here?" She looked at me worriedly, probably wondering if I had a mental breakdown.

I shook my head and stood up stiffly. "I'm fine," I said, my voice hoarse. I walked out of the classroom without another word. The bell rang and the classroom doors flew open, Moroi and dhampirs flooding the hallways. I glanced around and spotted Rose with Lissa, my mood suddenly lifting when I saw her.

Once again, I began to follow them. When I came within hearing distance, I heard Rose scream, "Okay? _Okay_?" I blinked a few times, startled. She grabbed Lissa's arm and shook her forcefully. "He's out of his mind. _He set Ralf on fire_. I thought we decided you weren't going to see him anymore." I racked my brain, trying to figure out who they were talking about. What Moroi would be stupid or brave enough to use his element on another Moroi?

Ah. I had it. It must be Christian Ozera. I knew his aunt, Tasha. She was so sweet and brave. I loved her like a little _sister_. Yes, like a sister. Anyways, Christian Ozera apparently had taken an interest to Lissa and Rose wasn't exactly happy about it.

Lissa replied to Rose stonily. "You decided, Rose. Not me." I was shocked at Lissa. From what I knew about the Princess was that she was sweet and kind. Right now, she actually kind of scared me.

Rose looked at her, confused. "What's going on here? Are you guys…you know?..." This earned a disgusted scowl from Lissa.

"No! I told you that already. God." Lissa rolled her eyes, obviously angry. "Not everyone thinks–and acts– like you." Rose winced and didn't reply. She stared into the floor. I wished I could go over and defend her and take her into my arms, comforting her. Yeah right.

Just then, Doll-face–er, _Mia _walked by. She smirked at the obviously upset pair of girls. "Trouble in paradise?" she asked, snottily.

Rose swore. "Go find your pacifier, and shut the hell up." She walked past her, slamming her shoulder into Mia's. Mia winced and stared at them in shock before narrowing her eyes and strutting away.

I laughed quietly. Oh, Rose. Always the one for violence. Suddenly Lissa started giggling uncontrollably. "Rose…" she said, forgivingly.

"Lissa," Rose responded, "he's dangerous. I don't like him. Please be careful." Personally, I found it ironic that Rose was the one telling Lissa to be careful instead of the other way around. Apparently Lissa did too.

She stepped towards Rose and touched her arm gently, reassuringly. "I am. I'm the cautious one, remember? You're the reckless one."

Rose shrugged and gave her a half-smile. They separated once they got to Lissa's dorm and hugged. Obviously their fight was forgotten.

After dropping Lissa off, Rose left to go to her dorm. Once she entered, I began pacing around outside. I had more important things to think about than Rose leaving her room. Like how I was going to split up Rose and Jesse tonight. I smirked. All I know is that it wasn't going to be pleasant. Especially not for Zeklos.

**R&R please! I know this chapter was boring, but it didn't have much dialogue or action in it in the first place. Ah well, next chapter is SURE to be fun. I can't wait to write the part when Dimitri runs in on Rose and Jesse ;D That's gonna be fun. Well anyways, tell me what you think!**

**~Leena**


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